Harriet Anstruther Harriet Anstruther Studio Ltd

Sussex Farmhouse

Traditionally, medieval houses in England seem always to have
been redecorated with heavy black paint on the beams & endless frills &
tucks. Ignoring these pre-conceived ideas in fine decoration, Harriet stripped everything back to it’s original
state, before lime-washing all the exposed wood by hand.

Though marginally more
expensive, Harriet opted to use organic paints, pigments & plasters to allow the
house to breath, thus eliminating dark, damp floors & walls. All the
stripping back & peeling away, led her to discover three hidden rooms and unexpected details.

The bathrooms function more like a living room and are painted in soft whites rather than tiled. The walls are decorated with pictures and paintings and armchairs used to relax and unwind.

Large, decorative antiqued are sourced and propped against walls to fill large spaces and bring a snese of history and belonging to the space. Harriet found the bedroom mirror from Portabello road Market and a Chaise longue from Judy Greenwood Antiques.

The result is a home that is built one piece at a time, as a collector would and a elegant, relaxed country feel that functions as a home as well as a retreat.